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Vodafone mobiles unlocked?? |
MrHat
Joined: Jun 09, 2002
Posts: 41
PM |
Just a quick question that I’m sure some1 will be able to answer.
A friend of mine recently went backpacking to Australia and left his mobile here (a new Sony one, can’t remember exact model). He’s just e-mailed me asking if the mobile is ‘locked’, and if it’s not can I post it off to him.
I remember reading somewhere here that all Vodafone mobiles come as unlocked as default. Is this right?
He got it from a KJC Mobiles shop on a contract.
Cheers for any help you can give.
(I did try to use the search function but couldn’t find an answer). |
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andrew99
Joined: Nov 29, 2001
Posts: 254
From: london
PM |
Where is here? It's a big world out there, Vodafone has over 100 million customers in a lot of places!
Just stick a few different SIM cards in it and see if they work, if they do it's unlocked.
I know Vodafone contract phones in the UK are unlocked, if that helps.
Andrew |
MrHat
Joined: Jun 09, 2002
Posts: 41
PM |
Doh, sorry about that.
Here is intead in the UK, cheers for confirming what I thought. |
al1307
Joined: Mar 14, 2002
Posts: 181
From: Cambridgeshire, England
PM |
Vodafone phones are only unlockled for O2 and Vodafone sims |
392MHz
Joined: Aug 01, 2002
Posts: 126
From: Hungary
PM |
This is bullshit.
A phone is either locked (in this case it will refuse to work with any other network, except the one you purchased the phone from) or unlocked (it will work with Sim cards from every single operator in the World.
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Cophia
Joined: Jul 22, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney
PM |
Actually, Vodafone contract mobiles are NOT LOCKED at all so any operator (like Telstra, Optus, Virgin or Vodafone in Australia) can use these phones.
If the mobile was bought as a Pay As You Go package, then this may be a different story as these types of phones are LOCKED to the Vodafone U.K. network.
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Cophia
Joined: Jul 22, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney
PM |
BTW: There are actually a number of different locks that can be applied to a mobile phone - you can lock against the network provider like T-Mobile or Orange in the U.K.), against the operator (like Virgin U.K., but they will supply the unlock code if you ask them) or against the SIM (some older BT Cellnet PAYG - phone will only work with the SIM it comes with)!
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andrew99
Joined: Nov 29, 2001
Posts: 254
From: london
PM |
Actually I'm just guessing here, but al1307 may have thought Vodafone phones only work with Voda and O2 SIMS because they share the same band 900Mhz (?) and T-Mobile and Orange use 1800MHz (or is it the other way around, I'm not sure). Either way, if you put a Orange SIM into an old Vodafone phone, you might find it doesn't work for that reason.
As I said, just guessing |
al1307
Joined: Mar 14, 2002
Posts: 181
From: Cambridgeshire, England
PM |
Well all I know is my T68 was bought on Voda and Im using an O2 sim. the other week a mate of mine put another mates Orange sim card into his O2 T68 and failed to connect to the network! As I dont know anyone with a T-Mobile or Virgin (even tho they are the same network) phone I cant say any more!
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Cophia
Joined: Jul 22, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney
PM |
andrew99 is absolutely correct about GSM frequencies!
However, if it's locked the phone will say so and ask for an unlock code. If it's unlocked then you will still be able to access the phone's menu system etc., it'll just switch on without reception (like you were in a tunnel without a signal).
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gstrafford
Joined: Aug 17, 2002
Posts: 3
PM |
do the >*<<*<* thing go to service info then simlock it will tell you whether it is locked or not
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Newdren
Joined: Jun 05, 2002
Posts: 24
From: London, England
PM, WWW
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Vodafone UK do NOT lock contract phones. PERIOD. As long as you rphone is dual band and is unlocked to all networks like any Vodafone contract phone sold in the last 3 years or so has been it will work with all UK networks and any network using either GSM 900 or 1800 (also will work on T-mobile/Voicestream and the Cingular networkk in the US if the phone is triband as it will also work on GSM 1900)
If you phone is a Vodafone pay as you go phone it is however locked to the Vodafone UK network (and I think may be locked on to the pay as you go tariffs of Vodafone UK aswell)
I know this as my T65 is originally on Vodafone contract and now is Orange Pay as you go. I have used pay as you go sims from T-Mobile, Virgin, O2 and Vodafone in it without a problem and Vodafone, T- Mobile and O2 contract sims in the phone without a problem. Also a friends 3330 on Vodafone contract can except the same sims. |
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Posted: 2002-07-31 12:03
